Firstly, those expecting pre-season levels of fitness and a lack of action were pleasantly surprised, as the pace was much higher than expected.

Perhaps a league that already has a winter break knows how to keep fit without games?

There was some sloppiness, but also a great deal of attacking play and excellent goals—notably the brilliant solo effort Pierre Kunde scored for Mainz (which was admittedly helped by some slightly socially distanced defending from Cologne). There also appeared to be fewer fouls and breaks in play, and a lot less diving.

Each club was given a 51-page book of safety protocols, and most seemed to stay as safe as possible.

That was unusual and it was strange to watch games in completely empty stadiums, that sounded a bit like echoey indoor swimming pools. But it wasn’t too jarring to distract from the action once you got used to it.

Of course, not all fans were happy: there were protests in Cologne from those who feel the action shouldn’t continue in empty stadiums. Those who feel games are only being played for the sake of money.

But the Bundesliga resumption appears to be a rousing success—and crucially, it lays a blueprint from the proposed return to action for leagues like the Premier League and La Liga.

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